Wolverhampton Business Week aims to boost jobs and enterprise

Monday 22 September 2014

Business Week will run from 29 September to 6 October 2014. Among the events planned by the City Board – which is made up of the city’s key public sector organisations and leading business representatives – are a ‘Business Opportunities Breakfast’ and the Global Trade Fair: Midlands.

The Global Trade Fair: Midlands, will include a live video conference to give Wolverhampton businesses better access to global markets and investment.

There will also be a Jobs Fair for local people, featuring more than 30 different companies.

The week is being supported by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funding.

Councillor Roger Lawrence, Leader of Wolverhampton City Council, said. “We’re both ambitious for our city and optimistic about its future.

“In part, Wolverhampton Business Week is about attracting strategic businesses with a high growth potential and the job and supply chain opportunities they bring.

“But it’s also about supporting Wolverhampton’s home-grown entrepreneurs to develop and grow their businesses – and helping businesses of every side to innovate and become more internationally competitive.

“Our marketing slogan is ‘Wolverhampton – making it happen’ and there’s ample evidence to show that it’s grounded in fact.

“We’ve also made enormous strides in our ‘quality of life’ offer, which we know is vital to retaining – and attracting – the talented people we need to drive our economy forward.

“In recent years, the city has attracted more than £1 billion in private and public sector investment.

“It’s important to understand that none of this would have been possible without the strong partnership that exists between business, the education sector and public sector organisations in Wolverhampton. Business Week is another example of how we’ll work together to create more and better opportunities for the people of Wolverhampton”.

John Wood, Director - Group Corporate Services at Caparo Industries Plc and a co-opted private sector member on the City Board, said: “Wolverhampton’s already home to some of the UK’s top businesses and cutting-edge industries, like aerospace and research.

“Some 137 companies with a turnover of at least £1 million have invested here and we want to encourage more to come and share in our success.

“We’re a business-friendly city with a can-do attitude – Wolverhampton Business Week will give us the chance to show these qualities to the world”.

Board member Professor Geoff Layer, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton concluded: “Wolverhampton’s Business Week is all about bringing people together to plan a shape a better future for the city and to create a something that all of us who live and work here want to see – prosperity for all”.

The first event on the Business Week calendar – the ‘Wolverhampton, a City of Business Opportunities Breakfast’ – has already attracted support from leading local companies including Jaguar Land Rover, UTC Aerospace Systems, Hadley Group, Caparo Industries Santander, Steelway and WOW. Tickets for the event can be reserved at https://wolvesopportunitiesbreakfast.eventbrite.co.uk.

ENDS

For more information please contact James Allen in the Media Relations Office on 01902 322003